If We Live
by Mustard Lady
Summary: Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann, and Jack Sparrow are marooned on a deserted island and left to die. During the swim to land, Will is severely injured from a shark attack. Jack and Elizabeth try to nurse him back to health, prevent his major wound from getting infected, and keep themselves alive! Can They survive together? Is Will gonna die? Will they be rescued? Can they escape? WXE


**Ahoy, mates! I hope this spring is going well for you. I know, I know, I still _a lot _of my other stories to update, but here is a new one for you! Hope you like it! I don't own POTC. I cannot promise how often this fanfic will be updated, but my goal is to finish it, Lord willing.**

**This takes place during Dead Man's Chest, except though Davy Jones is mentioned, he isn't really involved because that's an extra frustration I would rather not deal with. In this fic, Beckett is the main culprit, though we won't see much of him. What started this whole mess, the exchange that got our heroes stranded I will save for the next chapter, so you can find out what led up to this. Right now, I just want to get the beginning rolling.**

**The idea for this kept playing around in my head, so here it goes. If you want me to update it often, you'll have to pray for inspiration! Hope you enjoy this and reviews are appreciated!**

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One minute they were aboard ship. The next? The three of them were swimming in the ocean, toward land. But this land, this island they were inching themselves to was not on any map, at least not any map that they'd owned! But, what choice did they have? Linger around floating until they were devoured by sea creatures? No.

Captain Jack Sparrow, his friends Elizabeth Swann the governor of Port Royal's daughter-soon to be Mrs. William Turner-, and Will Turner the blacksmith, had been separated from Jack's crew and were now treading to shore as the kidnappers' ship sailed away into the horizon. All a _'most unfortunate turn of events' _as that blackguard cur Beckett had called it, just before he'd sent them overboard most likely to their deaths. "Keep going!" Will urged them.

Jack was gaining momentum and reached the wide beach first. He trudged in the sand, drenched to the bone. He looked back to see how his friends were fairing. Elizabeth was still a little ways away from the beach but almost there. Will, however, still had quite a stretch to go. Jack tromped slowly up to a small sand dune and dropped down to sit and sulk on the ground. For the fourth time he could remember, he'd once again been separated from his beloved _Black Pearl, against _his will!

"Keep going, Elizabeth!" Will called to his fiance. Elizabeth was nearly to the beach when Jack instantly shot up and he frowned with fear when he saw something dark gray and very pointed trailing directly after Will! It could only be one thing: a shark!

* * *

"William, look out!" Jack yelled as loudly as he could, jumping up and down and waving his arms. Will barely looked behind himself in a split second, but it was enough! He was toast!

As Elizabeth crouched on the beach, she turned and saw Will trying to escape the ocean predator. "Will!" She screeched and without thinking, she started back toward him, desperate to save the man she loved.

"No, Elizabeth!" Will begged her frightfully when he realized what she was trying to do. He had to protect her. He had to keep her safe. "Go back!" He yelled hoarsely. He knew the shark was picking up speed behind him, as he could feel the current around him start to tug at his heels.

"Will!" Elizabeth shouted. "Hurry! Over here! Jack, do something!"

Will fought with all his strength to swim faster, but it was too late! With a massive weight bearing down upon him, the next thing he knew, pain like h- bit its way into his body!

"_Aaaaarrrrggghhhh!" _Will let out an unearthly, horrific scream as the devil creature's blade-like teeth ripped into him. He writhed around in the water, terror, unimaginable pain, and blood consuming him. He felt as if he'd been tossed into a barrel of sharp knives and flailed like a madman.

Then, like electricity, the shark released him and fell away down to the depths, blood spewing out of its carcass like steam from a tea kettle. Too shocked to figure out that Jack had shot it from a good distance away, Will weakly treaded along the water till his feet and torso finally felt solid ground brush up underneath him!

* * *

The physical and psychological shock of the shark attack stealing his breath away, Will forced himself to his unsteady feet. Blinking in the bright sunlight and the water pouring out of his eyes, he could barely make a wavering figure on the beach, running toward him. "Oh my g-! Will! You're hurt!" Elizabeth shrieked.

"It's...it's nothing..." Will tried to assure her, clutching his bloody side. But the words left him as he collapsed back down to the ground in pain, still in the water.

"_Will!_ Jack, help me!" Elizabeth called as she dashed to her true love. Jack heard her cry and saw normally sturdy Will lying on the ground like a cowering puppy. He scurried to his friend's side. "Jack, he's bleeding! A lot. Help me." Elizabeth panted, slinging Will's right arm around her neck.

"Elizabeth...it's all..." Will tried to argue. Jack wrapped his hand around his friend's waist and hoisted him to his feet.

"Let us give you a hand there, mate. Just lean on me. There now. Easy does it." Jack said encouragingly. They staggered briskly onto the sand. "Over there." Jack said, and they pulled Will to a large rock underneath a small palm tree. They gingerly set him down where he could sit back against the boulder. Will began to cough, which caused him more pain.

"It's all right, Will. I'm here." Elizabeth said sweetly, stroking his wet forehead and brushing the dark hair out of his face. It took her back nine years ago, when she'd applied the same gesture after she and her father had rescued him from the shipwreck. And right now, he looked just as frail, scared, and helpless as he did then.

"Elizabeth..." Will tried to speak, "the...the pain...it's..."

"Ugh. Nasty gash you've got there." Jack cringed as he tried to examine Will's large wound without hurting him too much. He touched his side and Will hissed in pain. "Sorry, mate." Jack shook his head. Elizabeth had seen the ugly, raw bite bleeding profusely. She immediately ripped her blouse sleeves from her arms.

"Take this, Jack. Use it for a bandage. Please hurry!" She told him.

"Very good, luv." Jack nodded and pressed the makeshift bandage onto the wound on Will's stomach, making Will flinch and grimace. "Easy there, William. Just breathe, mate." He said to Will. As he watched the younger man, Will looked to him like a young boy, scared and vulnerable. It was gonna be up to him to calm the lad. "Lizzie and I will look after you, son." He said cheerily. "We'll soon have ya back on yur feet!"

Elizabeth tearfully glanced at Jack in disbelief. She knew better. They were in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of the Caribbean, hundreds of miles from civilization, from proper help. Will needed urgent medical attention, or he would die! But clearly, the only ones who could administer to him the treatment he needed were just Elizabeth and Jack. And neither one was a healing expert.

_If _it was even possible for them to help Will get through this and get off this forsaken land, it was going to take a whole heck more than just bright spirits and soothing words! _A lot more!_

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**If they were swimming, how could Jack possibly shoot with wet powder? Well, seeing as Jack has been through this more than once, he seems to know the cringe in the air when he's about to be abandoned. So when they were forced off the ship, he made an effort to keep his pistol between his teeth, above the water, in case he'd need to use it. And he's a good swimmer, so I think he could pull it off. Just wanted to point it out before anyone asked.**


End file.
